
principle-redesign-from-first-principles
Apply when integrating a new requirement into an existing design.
- Installs
- 5.4K
- Last 24h
- +247
- Trending rank
- #1105
- Security
- Pass
Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/backnotprop/pstack --skill principle-redesign-from-first-principles- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads principle-redesign-from-first-principles automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Redesign From First Principles
When integrating a change, don't bolt it onto the existing design. Redesign as if the requirement had been a foundational assumption from the start.
- Read all affected files and understand the current design
- Ask: "if we were writing this from scratch with this new requirement, what would we build?"
- Propagate the change through every reference: types, docs, examples, rationale sections
- Think about the whole redesign, then deliver it incrementally
This is the method for preserving option value when integrating changes into an existing design.
FAQ
What does the principle-redesign-from-first-principles skill do?
Apply when integrating a new requirement into an existing design.
How do I install principle-redesign-from-first-principles?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/backnotprop/pstack --skill principle-redesign-from-first-principles in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/principle-redesign-from-first-principles/ (personal) or .claude/skills/principle-redesign-from-first-principles/ (project).
Which AI agents can use principle-redesign-from-first-principles?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is principle-redesign-from-first-principles safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains principle-redesign-from-first-principles?
It is published by backnotprop in backnotprop/pstack. It has 5,431 recorded installs.
More from backnotprop/pstack
how
backnotprop/pstack
Use for "how does X work", code walkthroughs before changing something, and placement / ownership / layering questions ("where should this live", "which package owns this", "is this the right layer"). Explains subsystem architecture, runtime flow, onboarding mental models. Use why for motivation.
principle-fix-root-causes
backnotprop/pstack
Apply when debugging. Trace each symptom back to the first place the system went wrong and fix it there. A guard is a fix only when the state it handles is legitimate.
why
backnotprop/pstack
Use for 'why does X work this way', 'why we picked Y', design rationale, regressions, postmortems, or data-backed thresholds. Discovers available MCPs and queries each evidence category (source control, issue tracker, long-form docs, real-time chat, infrastructure observability, error tracking, product analytics warehouse) in parallel, then returns a cited read on decisions and tradeoffs. Use how for runtime behavior.
technical-writing
backnotprop/pstack
Layered technical-writing standard: Diátaxis structure, Google developer style sentences, STE instruction rules, Global English syntax. Use for /technical-writing or when writing or reviewing docs, RFCs, readmes, PR descriptions, or commit messages.
arena
backnotprop/pstack
Spawn N parallel candidates at the same task, pick a base, graft the strongest parts of the losers into it. Use for /arena, 'arena this', 'throw it in the arena', or when one attempt at a non-trivial artifact would lock in the wrong shape.
Popular other skills
hyperframes-cli
heygen-com/hyperframes
The HyperFrames CLI by job - scaffold, check, look at frames, edit the timeline, preview, render locally or in the cloud, publish, project history - plus reading its JSON and recovering from build or render failures.
triage
mattpocock/skills
Move issues and external PRs through a state machine of triage roles, categorise, verify, grill if needed, and write agent-ready briefs.
ask-matt
mattpocock/skills
Ask which skill or flow fits your situation. A router over the skills in this repo.
to-questionnaire
mattpocock/skills
Turn a decision you can't fully answer into a questionnaire for someone else to fill in.
loop-me
mattpocock/skills
Grill me about specs for the workflows I want to build, within this workspace.